Breakdown of Laut der neuen Studie sinkt die Bevölkerung.
neu
new
der
who, which, that (relative pronoun; die, das)
sinken
to fall / to sink (go under water)
laut
according to
Questions & Answers about Laut der neuen Studie sinkt die Bevölkerung.
Is der neuen Studie in the dative or the genitive case here?
It can actually be either! The preposition laut (according to) can take either the dative or the genitive case. Because Studie is a feminine noun, its article (der) and the adjective ending (-en) look exactly the same in both dative and genitive. In everyday spoken German, the dative is more common.
Why does neuen end in -en?
After a definite article like der in the dative or genitive case, the following adjective takes the weak ending -en.
Why does the verb sinkt come before the subject die Bevölkerung?
This is due to the German verb-second rule. The entire phrase Laut der neuen Studie takes up the first position in the sentence. Therefore, the verb sinkt must immediately follow it in the second position, pushing the subject die Bevölkerung to the third position.
Could I use senkt instead of sinkt here?
No, and this is a common mix-up! The verb sinken (sinkt) means to decrease or sink on its own, which fits perfectly here. The verb senken (senkt) means to actively lower or reduce something else, which would require a direct object (for example, a government lowering taxes).